A task force guiding the spending of Orange County’s lucrative tourist tax endorsed a slate of big-money ideas Tuesday, but, in a shocking move, voted down a half-a-billion-dollar expansion to the county’s convention center, deemed by supporters the region’s “economic engine.”
Read more DeSantis signs death warrant for ‘Hog Trail Killer’ in 1996 murder
The $523 million expansion of the Orange County Convention Center was promoted by hoteliers and tourism interests as a necessity to stay competitive with Central Florida’s biggest rivals in the convention business, like Las Vegas and Chicago.
The idea had the support of task force co-chair Eddy Moratin, but not his fellow co-chair, former county Mayor Linda Chapin, the namesake of a theater inside the complex, who said the group should favor other ideas that would “benefit more of the community and bring different kinds of visitors.”
The task force also declined to advance a proposed $1 billion set-aside for a Major League Baseball stadium, a decision that came as little surprise given the Dreamers group promoting it has neither a team to offer nor a site locked down.
Instead, it was the convention center – already the size of the Pentagon – that emerged as a harbinger of a growing debate in the county over the best uses of the Tourist Development Tax, charged on hotel and short-term rentals. Currently state law restricts the tax’s use to tourism promotion and entities.
Given the incredible tourism boom driven primarily by the area’s theme parks, tax revenues have been growing — and task force members were told at the beginning of the meeting there is as much as $925 million to spend.
Much of the appointed task force said the county should more aggressively lobby the state to broaden the rules over the tax’s use, allowing it to be spent in particular on transportation. Michael Poole, the city of Winter Park’s representative, contended the money should be saved for transportation or workforce housing.
“We have spent 50 years building that Convention Center and pouring money into it. It’s time for a change. We all know it’s time for a change,” said Poole. “The idea that we’re going to vote to move something along when we know it’s broken…is insanity.”
Ultimately, the final say on funding decisions lies with the Board of County Commissioners. They’re not bound by the task force’s recommendations, but given that the board appointed many of the panel’s members, it will be politically difficult to ignore them.
Read more Gambling money goes all in on Florida and Byron Donalds for the 2026 election cycle
Convention Center leaders want to build a 352,000-square-foot expansion of the North-South Building. The project proposes adding a 200,000 square-foot space with seating for 20,000, including retractable seating for 8,000. That would allow large conventions to book concerts for their shows.
Some task force members had praised the complex as the tourist corridor’s “economic engine” responsible for generating hundreds of millions in economic impact in direct and “collateral” spending by conventioneers at hotels, area restaurants and shops, and millions more at theme parks and other attractions.
The project was deemed “shovel ready” as the county previously paid $17 million for its design.
Before the meeting started, John Stine, chairman of the International Drive Resort Area Chamber of Commerce, appealed to the task force to move the convention center project forward to county commissioners for funding.
“Not because it’s simply another construction project, but because it’s one of the most important economic development investments Orange County can make,” Stine said. “The Orange County Convention Center is the engine that helps drive our region’s economy, and it generates millions of dollars in annual economic impact.”
But Ella Wood, appointed to the committee to represent Commission District 5, said the county should look to commit money instead to solving transportation problems around the convention center, blamed by at least one trade show as a reason it decided to leave Orlando for Las Vegas.
“There are a number of ways to improve the transit problems that have been taking business out of the convention center,” she said.
In all, the group advanced a dozen ideas for consideration by the Tourist Development Council:
Read more Hurricane center forecasts Atlantic system to become tropical depression this week
- The “ARC” plan – Between $75 million and $100 million to provide grant funding from excess tourist revenue to smaller and mid-sized proposals.
- Orange County Natural Resource Tourism grant – Up to $25 million over multiple years to improve or preserve lakes, rivers, parks, conservation lands and trails
- Orange County Eco-Tourism Grant – Up to $50 million over multiple years for a competitive program to fund nature tourism programs
- Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs- An additional 1% to 2% of TDT revenue toward grant funding to smaller capital projects
- Dr. Phillips Inc.- $60 million to help build a two-story, 30,000 square foot Eatonville Museum of Culture & History
- Creative City Project- $22.5 million over 10 years to fund the growth of the IMMERSE Festival in downtown Orlando
- 8 Waves Corporation- $25 million for a 20,000 square foot children’s museum in Winter Garden
- Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts- $750 million for a massive expansion to the downtown campus, adding 11 new theaters and other amenities
- Florida Citrus Sports – $54 million to build a multi-level parking garage at Camping World Stadium
- City of Ocoee – $30 million for improvements to a golf course to create a tourism destination
- Town of Eatonville Community Development Agency – $22.5 million to fund the Eatonville Heritage Tourism District
This is a developing story, please check back for updates.